Light up a Life Gala: A Night to Remember

Take Stock in Children of Nassau County (TSIC) once again set a new fundraising milestone at its annual Light Up a Life Gala, held in March. Celebrating 28 years of transforming students’ futures, the event exceeded the fundraising goal to support college preparation programs and tuition scholarships.

The evening began with an elegant cocktail hour, where guests enjoyed passed hors d’oeuvres while placing final bids on an array of silent auction items, including stunning artwork, exclusive experiences, and generous donations from local restaurants, retailers, and entrepreneurs. Speaking to a sold-out crowd, TSIC Board Chair Regina Lee welcomed all, including this year’s Mentors of the Year and several accomplished TSIC alumni.

Serving as hosts were First Coast News anchors and former TSIC mentors, Anthony Austin and Heather Crawford, who brought warmth and enthusiasm to the night. Renowned pianist Julie Coucheron enhanced the event’s atmosphere with a captivating musical performance. Executive Director Robin Lentz provided an update on TSIC’s growing impact, highlighting rising college retention rates and an unprecedented number of successful mentor-mentee matches. Guests were especially moved by heartfelt video testimonials from several college students currently taking advantage of their scholarships as well as on-campus housing. 

A sumptuous three-course dinner, expertly prepared by the chefs of The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, was served as attendees listened to inspiring stories of perseverance and achievement. Guest speaker and TSIC graduate Dominic Jones thanked the organization for helping him achieve success in life. A 2009 Fernandina Beach High School grad and 2013 graduate of The Citadel in Charleston, SC, Dominic became a professionally licensed civil engineer and has become the youngest partner at Thomas & Hutton, a nationally recognized engineering and design firm.  He is a husband and father to four children and credits much of his success to the start he received through Take Stock with the help of his mentor, John Landregan. The evening concluded with a compelling call to action from Austin and Crawford, urging attendees to contribute to the scholarship funds with the assistance of auctioneer, Luman Beasley. 

The TSIC board and staff extend their deepest gratitude to the community, sponsors, and volunteers who made this extraordinary event possible. A resounding thank you goes out to current high school senior student volunteers, Alana Freeman and Ann Ross. Special recognition goes to committee members Shelley Hirshberg, Amy Davis, Lisa West, Scott Berglund, Jacque Banks, Laurie Moore and the dedicated staff at The Ritz-Carlton for their invaluable contributions.

Take Stock Nassau welcomes 41 new students into the program this week. After months of vetting applicants through application scoring and interviewing, the Student Selection and Monitoring Committee, composed of volunteer mentors and staff, made their final selection. All students and guardians signed their contracts this week, and the students were matched with their mentors. Click below to check out the pictures from their first meeting. Mentors and students will meet several times before the school year ends for the summer break. Take Stock Nassau will soon begin recruiting for the next round of mentors. If you or someone you know is interested in more information about mentoring, please call the Program Director, Jacque Banks, at 904-430-8584.